|
Godfrey
Torto leaps for the ball |
|
A brave rearguard action
by a depleted Borough team saw
them take a deserved point from
the trip to Buckinghamshire
on Tuesday.
Already missing long-term injuries
Sean James, Kevin McKenna and
Ross Fitzsimon, Borough lined
up without Phil Gridelet, Dean
Marney and Michael Currie, all
injured against Braintree last
Saturday, plus Richard Goddard
who was serving the first game
of a three game suspension.
Fifth-placed Chesham were fresh
from a four-goal win over Bedford,
and started in confident fashion.
Andy Pape tipped away Kendol’s
4th minute free-kick, and when
he and Adam Everitt hesitated
over a loose ball, Nwokeji fired
over from an angle. Miles and
Dogbe both shot wide as the
hosts played some crisp football.
However, it was the visitors
who went in front with their
first serious attack in the
16th minute. Davis Haule played
a neat return pass to Richard
Clarke whose shot was turned
over the bar by Preddie. John
Lawford’s corner bent
in to the near post and was
well over the line before Preddie
could react.
Everitt immediately made a
great clearance from under his
own bar, but Borough took heart
from their goal and began to
move the ball around. Haule’s
header sent Mekel Hackett through
and Preddie had to race off
his line to make a desperate
clearance. Clarke shot high
and wide when Preddie’s
punch landed at his feet, Lawford’s
shot was blocked, Haule took
the ball too far when Lawford’s
header sent him clear, and Clarke’s
cross sped across the face of
the goal without a Borough foot
on hand to divert it in. At
the other end, Cooper screwed
a shot across the goal and Pape
tipped over Dogbe’s header.
The home side regained the
initiative at the start of the
second half, and Borough’s
defence had to work hard to
keep out the home forwards.
Pape’s organisation of
the men in front of him was
excellent and ensured that he
had few direct strikes to save,
Nwokeji shooting over on a rare
occasion that an effort on goal
was allowed. Wayne Walters set
up Haule for a shot past the
post.
After 63 minutes, Borough had
a close shave when they half-stopped,
expecting play to stop for a
nasty-looking injury to Hackett.
Play was allowed to continue
and Kendol headed past the post.
When play was stopped, Hackett
left the field on a stretcher,
his legs taped together.
Concerted Chesham pressure
was not resulting in efforts
on goal, and it was therefore
disappointing for Harrow that
the equalising goal on 70 minutes
stemmed from a Harrow attack.
Michael Barima sent Fabio Valenti
away on the left. His cross
was cleared and the ball quickly
played upfield to Hunter, who
turned the Harrow defence and
ran through to beat Pape.
Pape saved from Cooper, and
then made a fine save to rectify
one of the few defensive mistakes
of the evening. In stoppage
time, Leach shot over for the
hosts, and Valenti’s dangerous
cross to the far post eluded
his team-mates.
Harrow can take great heart
from this display, in which
every player made a positive
contribution. Edwin Stein will
hope to have some of his injured
back for Saturday’s tough
looking assignment against St
Alban’s City at Earlsmead,
the Saints having won their
first six matches.
|
